Implement for ironing hats



(No Model.)

A. E.- MQDONALD. IMPLEMENT FOR IRONING HATS.

No. 476,403. Patented June 7,1892.

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UNITED STATES ALEXANDER E. MCDONALD, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

lMPLEMENT FOR iRONlNG HATS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 476,403, dated June 7, 1892.

Application filed March 20, 1891.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER E. Mo- DONALD, a citizen of the United States, residing in Brooklyn, Kings county, New York, have invented certain Improvements in Implements for Burnishing or Ironing Hats, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to implements for smoothing or ironing the nap on hats; and the object is to provide an implement suited to the use of the wearer of the hat and one which may be conveniently heated over an ordinary gas-jet. It frequently happens that the nap of a silk hat requires ironing or burnishing while the hat does not need blocking and pressing. The wearer may brush it; but he is not provided with means for blocking and pressing it. My invention furnishes him with a simple device which may be kept in the dressing-case, whereby he may iron and burnish the hat after brushing it.

In the accompanying drawings, which serve to illustrate my invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the manner of using my burnisher. Fig. 2 is a rear view of burnisher, on a comparatively large scale, illustrating the manner of heating it with a gas-jet. Figs. 3 and at are respectively views of the front end and handle end of the burnisher. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal vertical midsection of the burnisher.

A is the head of the implement, which I call the burnisher. This burnisher, which will be of metal, is hollow, and has by preference its face a made concave laterally, so as to better fit the convex side of the hatbody :0, as represented in Fig. 1, and as the hat-body is sometimes made concave longitudinally the face a of the burnisher may be made slightly convex longitudinally to fit such a surface the better. The upper or other face a of the burnisher may be aplane, as herein shown, or be slightly convex.

B is the handle of the implement, to which the burnisher is attached, the latter being rotatively mounted with respect to the handle. Fixed in the handle and forming apart thereof is a rod 17, which has bearings in the respective ends of the burnisher, the latter turning about said rod. The burnisher may be mounted on the rod 7), as represented in Fig. 5, or in any other satisfactory manner. In the handle end of the burnisher is an aperture g to receive the burner or pillar h of Serial No. 385,723. (No model.)

a gas-jet, as seen in Fig. 2. In the ends of the burnisher are small perforations or apertures i, which permit the escape of smoke and heated gases and admit air to the burning jet inside during the heating operation.

The operation is as follows: The burnisher is heated over the gas-jet, as seen in Fig. 2, and is then applied to the body of the hat, as seen in Fig. 1. The operator carries it around the hat-body, grasping the handle tightly and keeping the concave face of the burnisher pressed up to the hat. Under these conditions the burnisher will rotate on and about the rod 1). The upper plane surface a of the burnisher may be used on the fiat top or crown of the hat-body, and the end thereof opposite to that where the handle is attached may be applied to the hatbrim. The surfaces of the burnisher will, of course, be smooth and polished, and the corners should be rounded off smoothly. The rod Z) forms, practically, a part of the handle B; but the former I usually make of metal and the latter of wood.

The characteristic features of my hat-iron are that it is designed to be used by the wearer of the hat in his own room. It has a hollow revolving head provided with means whereby it may be conveniently heated over a gas-jet, and it has its handle arranged with its axis parallel with the longitudinal axis of the head, or substantially so, whereby the handle stands parallel with the axis of the hat-body when the implement is in use. This construction and arrangement is essential to the convenient use of the implement.

Having thus described my invention, I claim A hand implement for burnishing or ironing silk hats, comprising a handle and a head mounted rotatively on said handle, said head being provided with means for heating it over a gas-jet and having a smooth concave ironing-face, which extends the entire length of said head, the handle having its longitudinal axis substantially parallel with the ironing-face of the head, as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALEXANDER E. DICDONALD.. IVitnesses:

HENRY Connn'rr, CHAS. A. WALSH. 

